Tool for repairing elastic tubing



UNITED STATES PATENT EETCE.

CLARENCE E. IELLY AND ANIAN'DA J. I-IAVORTI'I, OF GREENTOVN,

. INDIANA.

TOOL FOR REPAIRING ELASTIC TUBING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 616,109, dated December 20, 1898. Application Sled September 2| 1897. Serial No. 650,342. (No modell.)

To all whom t weary concern:

Be it known that we, CLARENCE E. KELLY and AMANDA J. HAwoRTH, citizens of the United States, residing at Greentown, in the county of Howard and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Tool for Repairing Elastic Tubing, of which the following is a specification.

'lhis invention relates to repairing-tools for inflatable tubes, such as bicycle-tires and the like; and it has forits object to provide, in connection with a shaft carrying punctureclosing devices, a puncture enlarging awl which when not in use is designed to be housed entirely within the handle of the tube, thereby combining in one structure every device necessary for the proper repairing of the punctured tube.

With this object in view the invention consists of the several details of construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view. of our improved tube-repairing tool ready for use. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a tube, showing the elastic material inserted iu the puncture and the tool ready for withdrawal. Fig. 3 is va similar view showing the needle disengaging itself from the elastic strips. Fig. Lis a longitudinal section of the tool. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the slotted and pointed end of the needle.

Similar reference-numerals indicate similar parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 indicates a shaft, which, as shown in the drawings, is tubular, but may be solid, and 2 indicates a collar secured at the upper end of the shaft.

3 indicates an awl, the stabbing portion of which will preferably be angular in cross-section and the shank et of which is threaded.

5 indicates'a handle to t over the awl and be screwed onto the threaded shank thereof.

6 indicates the needle secured in any suitable manner to the lower end of the shaft either permanently or detachably. The body of the needle is cylindrical and its lower end attened, as indicated at 7, and the shoulders at the junction of the attened end portion with the cylindrical portion of the body will be inclined, as indicated at S. The flattened portion of the needle is provided with an openended slot 9, extending longitudinally thereof and midway between its side edges, and the arms 10 on each side of the slot are pointed at their ends, as indicated at 11'.

l2 indicates a sleeve, the bore of which is reduced at its upper end, as indicated at 13, to fit snugly on the shaft 1 to permit free sliding movement. The reduced portion of the bore is of sufficient length to support the sleeve on the shaft concentric therewith, and the sleeve will be locked on the shaft in its adjusted position by a set-screw l3f. The other portion of the bore (indicated by 14:) is of greater diameter than the shaft.

15 indicates a plate or disk centrally perforated and secured on the lower end of the sleeve, and the lower face 16 of this plate is dished or concaved to make the entrance into the lower end of the sleeve bell-shaped or Haring.

17 indicates pins, preferably four, although there may be more or less, as preferred,which are secured to the sleeve and radiate therefrom a short distance from its lower end.

18 indicates elastic strips, which are preferably in the form of rubber bands, detachably secured in the open-ended slot 9 and on the pins 17. If long bands are used, they will preferably be inserted midway their lengtlr in the slot 9 and have their ends secured over the respective pins 17. We do not, however, limit ourinvention to the use of rubber bands, as other elastic material may be used and detachably supported in the slot 9 and by the pins 17 in any manner preferred.

In operation the strips of elastic material will be detachably secured in position on the tool and the needle be forced through the puncture or opening, which may be previously enlarged, if necessary, by the awl which is provided for this purpose, and the strips of elastic material will be drawn through the opening with the needle. The needle should be pushed into the interior of the tube a considerable distance, and the strips of elastic material will become more or less stretched in the tube. When the strips have been inserted in the tube a sufficient distance, the

IOO

when the needle is Withdrawn the opening vill contract and the strips wvill expand, and thereby elfectually close the opening or puncture and prevent leakage. The inclined shoulders S will greatly facilitate the Withdrawal of the flattened end of the needle Without dragging the strips with it, and the concaved face of the disk l5 Will also aid in the withdrawal, as it permits the tube to stretch outwardly to a limited extent around the puncture or opening, which has the effect of slightly stretching such openin fr.

Preferably the strips of elastic material will be Wet with a suitable rubber solution or cement; but this is not at all times absolutely essential. Our invention Will be particularly useful to stop up punctures in pneumatic tires used on bicycles or other vehicles, and it will also be useful to stop small punctures or openings in elastic hose used for conveying Water or other fluid.

XVhile the complete repairing-tool has been fully described, we lay no claim herein to the puncture-closing devices carried by the shaft, as such devices :form the subject-matter of a sole application about to be filed by Clarence E. Kelly, one of the present applicants; but what We do claim in this application as new and original is the combination of a shaft carrying puncture-closing devices and a puncture-enlarging awl fitted to one end of the shaft and housed Within a detachable handle.

It is to be understood that changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of con struction may be resorted to Without departing froln the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

.lfaving thus described the invention, what We claim as new is l. In a repair-tool of the class described,

the combination of a shaft carrying puncture closing devices, a puncture-enlarging awl iitted to one end of the shaft, and a hollowhan dle removably fitted over and housing the awl, substantially as described.

2. In a tool for repairing elastic tubing, the combination of a shaft, an awl secured to one end of the shaft, a handle removably fitted over the awl, a needle having an open-ended slot in its pointed end, and a sleeve slidably supported on the shaft and provided with a series of radiating pins, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as ou rown we have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE E. BELLX AlNIANDlX J. IIAXVORTII.

X/litllesses: Y

LIsnoN J IIAWORTH, Blomus IIAXVORTH. 

